February 13, 2003
Nickels wants to lift city’s lease lid on UW
The city of Seattle would remove a key barrier to UW growth if legislation proposed Wednesday morning by Mayor Greg Nickels comes to fruition.
Nickels held a press conference outside of the University Book Store to tout his vision for a revitalized University District. A cornerstone of that plan is to remove the so-called lease lid that currently limits the institution to 550,000 square feet of leased space in the immediate area surrounding the UW campus. Nickels said he will send legislation to the City Council next week that would revoke the provision that dates back to the 1970s.
“That lease lid may have made sense at one time. Today it makes no sense,” Nickels said. “We’re going to get rid of it.”
The lid was first put in place to address concerns of residents and merchants in the neighborhood that the UW would continue to grow, displacing the small independent businesses that populate the area and give it much of its character. But as the U-District has come upon increasingly difficult times, the idea of lifting the lid has gained momentum.
In fact, the mayor said that lifting the lid would be a key to reviving activity in the area. More UW employees in the area would increase the number of visitors to restaurants, stores and entertainment spots along University Way Northeast — the Ave — and throughout the district, he said.
The UW has been pushing such a move since the mid 1990s and is committed to being a good neighbor. Theresa Doherty, the UW’s assistant vice president for regional affairs, says that the University will contribute to a positive business climate in the area. She points out that the UW is already committed to providing $80,000 annually for the next two years to pay for additional police protection in the U-District.
A number of UW departments currently lease space on or near the Ave. The Office of Minority Affairs, the Department of Family and Child Nursing, the Biostatistics Department and KUOW all lease space in the area. But at almost 504,000 square feet of leased space, the institution is nearing its limit.
According to the mayor’s plan, the University would face the same zoning laws as other businesses in the area, meaning that the UW’s use of space would need to be consistent with the neighborhood’s pedestrian-oriented street-scape. Administrative offices wouldn’t be allowed at street level, but would be relegated to upper floors.
The city would also require that the UW’s Transportation Management Plan for reducing daily commuter trips apply to students, faculty and staff working in the leased space.
Nickels is banking on the UW and a successful revitalization of the neighborhood as a key strategy for his administration. During his recent state of the city address he stressed the need to revitalize neighborhoods that have been left behind.
“We will have a new look and feel for the Ave. For the long term our goal is to attract investment in the area,” he said. “We intend to bring the Ave back to the great place that it’s been in the history of this city.”
Other aspects of the mayor’s plan include:
- Safety. The mayor promised a greater police presence in the neighborhood, tougher noise restrictions and “giving meters.” The meters, Nickels said, would eliminate panhandling and still give people a way to provide support for the area’s homeless population. Money collected in the meters would be used to fund programs for homeless youth.
- Rebuilding. The mayor talked about improved transit service, wider sidewalks, new trees and light poles, and facade improvements. Much of the work has already been accomplished. The street and water, sewer and drainage improvements are ahead of schedule, he said.
- Investment. Nickels’ plan calls for housing incentives, a parks levy dedicated to park space in the University District and targeted technical assistance and loans for small business development.
